Toshiba 22LV505, 22LV506 and 15LV505 LCD HDTV/DVD Combo Review

Toshiba’s 22 inch 22LV505 (black), 22LV506 (white) and 15.6 inch 15LV505 (black) LCD HDTV/DVD combo units have an ultra-slim profile with side slot loaded DVDs and bottom mounted stereo speakers (1.5 watts x 2). The stand is detachable for wall mounting if appropriate (bracket not included).

Toshiba 22LV505 LCD HDTV/DVD Combo

Likely to be used as a monitor as well as a HDTV, Toshiba have given the 22LV505/6 a high WSXGA+ (Wide Super Extended Graphics Array) 1680 x 1050 pixel resolution. The 15 inch 15LV505 has a 1366 x 768 resolution. All models have a 16:9 aspect ratio.

The contrast ratio is a respectable 1000:1 and gamers will appreciate the sharper images the fast 5ms response time will deliver. The viewing angle range at 160/160 H/V is less than the more common 178 degrees seen in LCD HDTV specifications. These Toshiba models are all Energy Star compliant.

Included in multimedia capabilities for these LCDs is a JPEG viewer for displaying your digital images. There is considerable digital video and audio playback versatility with the Toshiba LV505/6 models being DivX certified for play back of all versions of DivX video including DivX6. Audio file compatibility includes WMA and MP3. Playable disc types include; DVD, DVD-R, DVD-RW, CD, CD-R, CD-RW and VCD.

A number of picture size options are available including:

Natural (displayed close to its originally formatted proportion)
Theater Wide 1 (4:3 picture has left and right edges are stretched to fill screen)
Theater Wide 2 (picture is uniformly enlarged with possibility of the top and bottom edges being hidden)
Theater Wide 3: (for letterbox programs with subtitles)
Full (picture fills screen with 4:3 aspect ratio stretched wider to fill the screen)

Four picture modes are available including sports, standard and movie as well as a user configured mode allowing adjustment and storing of settings for contrast, brightness, color, tint, and sharpness.

Color Temperature can be selected from three options; Cool (bluish), Standard (neutral), and Warm (reddish).

Brightness (or back lighting level) can be adjusted to suit the ambient light of the viewing environment.

A film mode is available for smoother motion in situations such as slow pans which may cause judder.

The game mode available simply dims the screen brightness rather than changing the video processing as with game mode on some HDTVs.

Connections

composite video
S-video
component video (accepts signals up to 1080i)
HDMI (accepts signals up to 1080i)
PC input: analog RGB (D-Sub 15-pin)
RF input for antenna/cable signals
coaxial digital audio output for Dolby Digital

Toshiba have included ATSC/NTSC/QAM digital tuning for tuning of standard cable channels as well as off-air digital broadcasts, in addition to digital cable-in-the clear broadcasts.